The Haryana Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Department has launched a major disciplinary crackdown against seven senior officers of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). This action comes after allegations that these officials sanctioned and executed critical waste-management projects at the city's Bandhwari landfill site without securing the mandatory administrative approval from higher authorities.
Details of the Unauthorized Projects
The disciplinary proceedings focus on three significant projects related to the remediation and reclamation of legacy waste at the Bandhwari dumpsite. According to official communications, the works involved handling massive quantities of waste: 500,000 metric tonnes each for Phase-5 and Phase-6, and 400,000 metric tonnes for Phase-7. The government has decided to proceed under Rule 7 (major penalty) of the Haryana Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 2016, indicating the seriousness of the lapse.
Officers Named and Official Notice Served
The seven officers implicated in the notice are: Manoj Yadav (then chief engineer), Vikas Malik (then superintending engineer), Ashish Singla (chief medical officer), Nilesh Kumar (executive engineer), RK Mongia (assistant engineer), Sunil Kumar (accounts officer), and Vijay Yadav (district revenue officer). All were serving with the MCG at the relevant time.
In a stern letter addressed to MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya on Thursday, the ULB department expressed strong dissatisfaction. The letter revealed that despite repeated reminders over nearly four months, the MCG had failed to submit the required draft charge sheets against the officers. The department noted that the civic body had access to all relevant records, making the delay inexplicable.
Ultimatum Issued and Potential Consequences
The government has taken serious note of this delay. The ULB department has now issued a final directive, ordering Commissioner Dahiya to send the charge sheets along with certified copies of supporting documents within seven days through a special messenger. The letter warned that failure to comply would lead to the matter being escalated to senior authorities due to non-compliance of government orders, with the commissioner held responsible for any adverse consequences.
Adding pressure, the office of the Chief Secretary of Haryana is also actively seeking copies of the charge sheets. Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, in response to queries, assured that the MCG would comply with the directions from the ULB department.
The potential major penalties the officers face are severe and can include:
- Withholding of increments with cumulative effect.
- Denial of promotion for more than one year.
- Reduction to a lower stage in the pay band or scale for a specified period.
- Reduction to a lower pay structure, post, or service for over a year, which could block a return to the original level.
This development highlights the administration's strict stance on procedural compliance in major civic projects, especially concerning critical environmental issues like legacy waste management in Gurugram.
